Professional Engineers

[Slow Ride]

Anyone on here have a PE license? I am considering taking the test just to make myself more marketable. I can't decide which way to go with my masters degree (MBA or Masters of Engineering Technology). I have a BSME from Milwaukee School of Engineering ('98) and very diverse technical work experience. I currently work in an automotive related industry, but want to eventually get into the high performance automotive aftermarket sector.

How hard is the test? Especially considering I've waited 9 years to take it.

Is it worth the effort? Will I make more money, get promotions etc?

I feel like this right now where I work and need to do something about my career.

Thanks.

[Happyfunballs]

I believe you need to have passed the EIT before they'll allow you to take the PE. At least, that's how I thought it worked. Otherwise, I haven't taken the PE.

[Slow Ride]

From what I understand it is not absolutely required. There is a loophole I think I can get through with the EIT/FE. It looks like, if you have a degree and 8 years of experience you don't need it to take the PE.

[83hurstguy]

I'm planning on getting mine... I graduate next month, am taking the EIT in two weekends.

[CraigMBA]

The loophole for the EIT closed a couple of years back. You have to take the test.

[wantahertzdonut]

My dad worked as a materials engineer for NASA for 37 years, said he knew only a couple people with PE's. I have no ambition to get mine. It's really not worth it unless you're in civil engineering.

[silver69camaro]

My dad worked as a materials engineer for NASA for 37 years, said he knew only a couple people with PE's. I have no ambition to get mine. It's really not worth it unless you're in civil engineering.

I've heard the same.

[Slow Ride]

I've heard that as well, but I need to do something to make myself more marketable, it's alot easier to put PE after your name than PhD. If I stay here I am stuck where I am at, I've become too valuable in my current position. I am aproaching a point in my career where I need to make a major change. I want to do more design than I do now. I sit in more meetings everyday and generate paperwork. My job may sound exciting from the outside, but it is pretty unrewarding. The pay and hours are pretty crappy too.

[Takid455]

My dad worked as a materials engineer for NASA for 37 years, said he knew only a couple people with PE's. I have no ambition to get mine. It's really not worth it unless you're in civil engineering.

Dead on. ME w/ a PE doesn't wieght as much as a CE w/ a PE. one way think about it, if the ME's bracket breaks, so what, if the CE's bridge fails or people get flooded, people bitch and moan. the CE will also loose their license. I will be taking the PE test in a couple of years.

[wantahertzdonut]

I've heard that as well, but I need to do something to make myself more marketable, it's alot easier to put PE after your name than PhD. If I stay here I am stuck where I am at, I've become too valuable in my current position. I am aproaching a point in my career where I need to make a major change. I want to do more design than I do now. I sit in more meetings everyday and generate paperwork. My job may sound exciting from the outside, but it is pretty unrewarding. The pay and hours are pretty crappy too.

If you don't like doing management type of work (meetings, paperwork), then you probably wouldn't want an MBA like you mentioned in your first post.

You mentioned a Masters in Engineering Technology, does such a thing exist? Perhaps you'd want a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) instead?

It really just sounds like you just need to find a job with another company.

[Slow Ride]

It's not so much that I hate meetings. It's that the meetings I go to now don't accomplish a damned thing. My boss is director of engineering, he delegates all of his work to me on top of my 50hr/week work load. I sit in his mindless, redundant, useless meetings while I could be doing what needs to be done on a day to day basis. It's like once you reach upper management, you forget that we actually build firetrucks everyday and that is what pays their outrageous salaries.

[Boesch]

I did the EIT exam....now known as the FE just before I finished my bachelors degree. I'm still debating if I want to take the PE exam or not. I'm a mechanical engineer. If you work for a consulting company it can be beneficial or if you ever want to have your own company it can be useful. The reason I'd consider it is due to the pay raise that comes along with it here at my company, plus they pay for me to take it. I still need to work a year more before I have my years of experience in that allows me to take the PE.

[68Formula]

Civil is really where a PE pays off. However, I heard with a PE you can be held personally liable if there is a problem.

[wiedemab]

I took the EIT back in '02 right before graduating. I'm an ME from Purdue. I'm currently working on my MBA, so I doubt that I'll ever take the PE.

I missed my Senior year Grand Prix Race at Purdue to take the EIT too! That sucked!

[BobB66SS]

Have mine, don't use it. Took the EIT while still in school, then the PE later when had the mandatory years of experience. Found the EIT tougher actually. Got it because where I worked at the time gave you a 5% pay bump for a PE degree. Still maintain the licenses. Keep in mind that most states are now requiring continuing ed credits every year to keep your license.

[Slow Ride]

We may be able to have the refresher courses taught locally because we have a large enough group wanting the class. Work would pay for the class and my books as well as the test. It just seems as though every person who is anybody around here has their PE so it might be worth it.

[Todds69]

If you put your PE stamp on documents the company is resposible to a degree, but you can have your PE stamp pulled because of it.

[CraigMBA]

My dad worked as a materials engineer for NASA for 37 years, said he knew only a couple people with PE's. I have no ambition to get mine. It's really not worth it unless you're in civil engineering.

Almost manditory for Civils.

My wife is a civil. I'm (trained as) an accountant.

[Slow Ride]

It is amazing how much stuff you can forget. I have been studying about 15-20 hours per week since mid April and now I remember why I love being an engineer. After I pass this test I am definately going back for a masters in a technical ME discipline and getting the hell out of my current job. Maybe even move south, so I don't have to deal with WI winters and rust.

[Slow Ride]

Got my PE!!!!

Now I need to work on getting a promotion, so I have more money for my toys.